The Things We Say
by GunterRae
Summary: Someone posted a high-def pic of Sherlock in the sheet at the Palace, and I noticed what seemed to me to be an appendectomy scar, and I got this stuck in my head, so I had to write it. Set Post-S3, just because.


Molly was just settling into the bath with a glass of wine and a good book after a long shift at Barts when her phone buzzed. She glanced at it and sighed. She reached over and picked it up.

"**Sherlock's had to have an emergency appendectomy. Thought you'd want to know. He's at Bart's, they just took him in."**

She looked at the text from John Watson for a moment, and then hauled herself out of the bath, drying off quickly and putting her clothes back on. So much for a quiet night in.

She made her way back to Bart's, sending texts back and forth with John, who was waiting at the hospital. When she made it into the waiting room, John stood and crossed the room to her.

"Molly, hi. No updates, but everything seems to be going fine. I really should get home to Mary and the baby, do you mind waiting until Sherlock comes out? Mycroft is out of the country."

Molly glanced up at the clock on the wall. "How long has he been in there?"

"About 90 minutes. They should be finishing up soon, they were hoping to do it laparoscopically."

Molly nodded. "Go home. I live closer and you've got a family to worry about."

Molly curled up on one of the sofas in the waiting room and waited. After another 45 minutes, a nurse came out. "Sherlock Holmes?" she asked. Molly stood and walked over to her.

"I'm here for Sherlock, how is he?"

The nurse smiled at Molly. "Hi, Dr. Hooper. He's just starting to come around now, you can go see him if you like."

She led Molly back to a small recovery room. She walked over to the bed where Sherlock dozed. "The anesthesia has started to wear off but he's been in and out. Once he's fully awake we'll move him to a regular room." the nurse said. "Call us if he needs anything, I'll check back in a bit."

Molly reached over and took Sherlock's hand. "Hey," she said "It's super weird to see you in a hospital bed, so you wanna knock it off?" she laughed, and his eyes fluttered open.

"Molly Hooper, you are the most beautiful woman in the world." said Sherlock, his eyes locked on her. Molly gasped.

Before she could reply, Sherlock's eyes slid shut again, and she could tell he was asleep. She pulled a chair up next to the bed and waited.

After a few minutes he struggled to consciousness again. She smiled down at him. "Hi, Sherlock. How are you feeling?"

"I love you." he said, slipping back into sleep again.

Molly froze, watching the sleeping detective. She knew people were often quite out of it when emerging from anesthesia and said all sorts of crazy things, but hearing these things out of Sherlock was making her heart race.

After a few moments, Sherlock's eyes opened and looked around the room. Focusing on Molly, he said "Molly, I didn't expect to see you here. I presume the doctors managed to remove that pesky appendix of mine?"

Molly swallowed. "Yes, Sherlock, your surgery went fine."

Sherlock stared at her for a moment, silently deducing. "What, Molly?"

"You...you were babbling as you woke up, that's all." She shifted in her chair, unable to make eye contact with Sherlock.

Sherlock stared at her. "Did I say something that hurt your feelings?"

Molly had to smile at that. "Good assumption, but no."

Sherlock narrowed his eyes, trying to remember. Everything since they started to put him under for the surgery was pretty much lost to him. "Then what did I say?"

Molly shook her head. "It's nothing, Sherlock. People say a lot of things when they're out of it like that. I know you didn't mean it."

"Molly." said Sherlock, his voice as hard and stern as he could make it, given the after-effects of the anesthesia and the pain medication they were dripping into his IV. "What did I say?"

Molly looked towards the door, hoping the nurse would come in and save her, or perhaps that the floor would open up and swallow her. "You said...you said I was beautiful. And that you loved me. But I know you didn't mean it, Sherlock. You weren't yourself."

Sherlock opened his mouth, and then closed it again. His eyes darted around the room. "Molly? I do think the anesthesia had a little bit to do with it, yes. It lowered my inhibitions."

Molly turned to stare at him, understanding dawning in her eyes. "So…"

"I do think you're beautiful, and I do love you. I'd denied it to keep you safe, but I guess it's too late for that now."

Molly leaned over and gently kissed Sherlock on the cheek. "Well, when you get out of here, we've got some talking to do."


End file.
